Tractor and semitrailer



Dec. 24, 1929. F. M. REID 1,740,935

TRACTOR AND SEMITRAILER A Filed Feb. 5, 1928 INVENTOR. /rreo/er/ck /7.Ape/a( A TTORNE Y.

Patented Dec. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK M. REID, OFDETROIT, MICHIGANLASSIGNOR TO FRUEHA'UF TRAILER COMPANY, OF DETROIT,MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN TRACTOR AND SEMITRAILER Applicationled February 3, 15.328. Serial No. 251,496.

This invention relates t-o a tractor and semitrailer, and moreespecially to a tractor and semi-trailer combination wherein the traileris attachable or detachable from the tractor 5 at will. j

The invention is directed to a tractor-trailcr combination wherein theconnection between the two is established'by the tractor backing intothe trailer, in which operation, the trailer is lifted up from itssupporting legs by the tractor and then coupled to the tractor. Amongthe objects of the invention is the provision of an improved arrangementfor e'ecting the lifting action of the trailer. 5 Sometimes the roadwayis not level and it follows, that when a connection is to be made,

the rear end 0f the tractor and the forward end of the trailer are notalways inthe same relative horizontal planes and the present in- 0vention contemplates an improved arrangement for taking care ofsituations of this character.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a trailer which 5 may be employed for carryingout the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view with some of the parts cut away and some of theparts in section, showing also the rear end of a tractor with thetrailer lifted up and the parts in position so that further backing ofthe trailer pushes back the locking mechanism on the tractor and raisesthe supporting Alegs of the trailer.

Fig. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic View illust-rating a situation ofrelative positions between the tractor and trailer, where the presentinvention is particularly advantageous. i

The semi-trailer consists of the usual frame ctmstruction 1 supported atits rear end by suitable running gear 2. The forward end of the traileris provided with a suitable latching mechanism for co-operation withamember on the tractor. such latching mechanism being shown in Fig. 1 asconsisting of a cam-like lock 3. When the trailer is detached from thetractor it is supported by a supporting structure 4. This structure maybe movable so that-it can be moved to and from operative position. Forthis purpose the supportingstructure may be mounted in slides 5 and 6and connected to thev lock y device 3 by rod 7. The lock device 3reciprocates in its latching or unlatching operation .derstood by thoseversed in the art and play no part in the present invention.

The rear end of any conventional type of tractor is shown at 10,supported by the running gear 11. The tractor carries a fifth wheelmember 12 pivoted on a horizontal pivot 13 and carrying a king pin 14.When there is no load on this 4fifth Wheel it assumes a normal positiontilted rearwardly as indicated in Fig. 3. The fifth wheel thus providesan inclined surface. Such fifth wheels have been heretofore proposed andare used as follows: the tractor backs towards the trailer andtheforward end of the trailer engages the slanting ifth wheel, whereuponthe trailer is cammed up, when the tractor is backed suliciently underthe trailer, while lifting the same, the fth wheel rights itself to theposition shown in Fig. 2. Continued backing movement causes the cam lock3 to engage around the king pin 14, and where the cam lock is slidable,as shown herein, it is pushed back thus raising the supporting legs 4through the means of the rod 7 Preferably, the rearmost part of thefifth wheel 12 is turned down angularly, as shown at 15. Sometimes therear wheels of the tractor may be on a hillock or raised portion of theroadway, just asit starts to back under the trailer, orv the converse ofthis may be true in that the supporting structure 4 may be in adepression, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

lVhen thisoccurs the forward end ofthe of the tractor. j The angularityof this plate 100 is preferably such as to be in substantial alignmentwith'the portion 15 of the fifth wheel member 12 when this fifth wheelmember is tipped rearwardly., Th'isis depicted in Fig. 3.' However, theadditional camming member can be used with afifth`wheel which does nothave a'turne'd down' rear'portin.

It will be noted by reference to Eig. 3' that with the tractonand'-semietrailer in the position shown theiforwa'rdend of they semitraileris so low, as compared to the fifth wheel on the tractor',as to notengage the fifth wheel. Itis at this time that the plate 16 cams up thetrailer initially, -and on continued` backing movement of the tractor,the

trailer is further cammed up by the tiltedI fifth. wheel.

To. facilitate the lifting .of thve'trailer,A it is preferable toprovidethe same with rollers 17 which engage the plate 16, and also the fifthwheel yduring a large part of the .lifting action. These rollers,however, are not designed to support the trailerduring the comsion intheroadway respectively. It is within I the, invention, however, to soproportion .the

tractor andtrailer as to makeuse of the additional fixed camming element.under normal conditions, meaning,.when the roadway is substantiallyleyel. By doing this a greater lift, on the trailer may be'had than bythe use of the camming fifth wheel only, By effecting this `greater liftof the trailer the ,supporting Structure .for the forward .end ofthetrailer'is raised further from the ground, andfit istlius feasible toutilize a fixed or rigid supporting member as distinguished from themovable type which is moved to and from operating position by the actionof con# necting and disconnecting of the tractor and trailer.

lanns:

`1. .The combination with a tractor and normall. lowas compared to thehorizontal plane-'of the tractor, said fifth ,wheel having adownwardlyslanted rear portion, the fixed i camming element beingpositioned at an angle to' the horizontal substantially the same as theangle which the said downwardly turned portion 'assumes when the fifthwheel is in its extreme tilted position, and the said portion andcammingmember lying in close proximity to each other and substantiallyin the same plane to form a relatively long cam- "mingf surface.

2. The combination with a tractor and semi-trailer, of? a tiltable fifthwheel carried by the tractor, means carried by the trailer cooperatingwith this fifth wheel whereby thefifth wheel cams up the trailer as thetractor is backed toward the trailer, a fixed camming member carried bythe tractor, this camming member being so positioned and being disposedat such van angle as to line up with the rear portion -of the tiltablefifth wheel when the wheel is tilted rearwardly to form a substantiallycontinuous camming `surface, said fixed camming member initially cummingup the semi-trailer when the forward end thereof is in a horizontalplane lower than the lowest portion ofthe tilted fifth wheel.

f l3. The combination with a tractor and semi-trailer, of a tiltablefifth wheel carried `by the tractor, means carried by the trailercooperating with this fifth wheel whereby the fifth wheel cams up thetrailer as the tractor is backed toward the trailer, a fixed cammingmember carried by the tractor, said camming member beingpositioned anddisposed at such an angle so as to cooperate with therear portionof thetiltable fifth wheel when Athe same is tilted rearwardly to form acontinuous camming surface with the fifth wheel, saidfixed cummingmember initially camming up the semi-trailer when the for-Iwardendft-hereof.is in.a horizontal plane lower than the lowest portionof the tilted fifth wheel, said means on the trailer including. rollersfor riding up the cam surface.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature. FREDERICK M. REID.

semi-trailer, of a tiltable fifth wheel carried by the tractor, meansonthe trailer "cooperating withV thistiltable fifth Wheel whereby thetiltable .fifth wheel cams up the trailer when the tractor is backed upto the trailer, arid a fixed camming element carried by the tractor tothe rear of and below the tiltable fifth wheel which initially camsup'the trailer when the trailer is in a horizontal plane ab-

